Atlanta ? A federal advisory panel on Thursday endorsed two new combination vaccines designed to reduce the number of needle sticks that young children must endure to get the recommended immunizations.

The panel gave its nod to a four-in-one shot made by GlaxoSmithKline. It offers protection against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio and costs $45. It’s given once to preschool-aged children.

Also getting approval was Sanofi Pasteur’s five-in-one shot for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and illness due to Haemophilus influenzae type b, or HiB. It costs about $69. Youngsters get four doses by age 2.

Both combinations shots were recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The combo shots don’t change the recommended vaccine schedule, just the number of needle jabs needed.